Kinsler will return to lineup tonight

Friday

Apr 30, 2010 at 12:01 AMApr 30, 2010 at 12:07 PM

All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler rejoined the Texas Rangers yesterday and traveled with the team for its West Coast trip and his season debut.

Kinsler, a former Missouri Tiger, was in the dugout during the Rangers’ 7-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox after completing a three-game rehabilitation assignment at Double-A Frisco without any setbacks. He has been on the disabled list all season after sustaining a high right ankle sprain during spring training.

Even though Kinsler tried to persuade Manager Ron Washington to let him play in the homestand finale yesterday, the Rangers stuck with their plan. Kinsler will be activated from the disabled list today before the team plays in Seattle and be in the lineup then.

“It’s been a little while. I’m ready to play,” Kinsler said. Washington “wanted me to relax today because I’ve been going at it pretty hard. I tried to fight him a little bit, but he’s pretty stubborn. I’ll get in there in Seattle.”

Kinsler went 3 for 9 with two runs, three RBI and a stolen base in his rehab assignment with the RoughRiders. He had no issues defensively.

Washington said Kinsler will bat fifth behind Vladimir Guerrero as had been expected before the second baseman turned his ankle during a workout at spring training before a game March 12.

BIG DAY FOR BUCK: An extra session of batting practice helped John Buck have the best game of his career.

Buck became the first catcher in six years to hit three home runs in a game, Travis Snider added a solo shot and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 6-3 last night.

“Buck had a night that you can only dream of as a kid: three home runs in a ballgame,” Manager Cito Gaston said.

Buck led off the third inning with a drive off right-hander Justin Duchscherer into the left field bullpen. His next two homers came off left-handers as he greeted reliever Jerry Blevins with a three-run homer into the second deck in left in the fourth and connected against Craig Breslow for a solo shot off the center-field restaurant in the sixth.

The barrage came after Buck took early batting practice with hitting coach Dwayne Murphy watching and pitching coach Bruce Walton throwing.

“I’ll do it every day if I’ll get those results,” Buck said.

MAGGLIO’S MILESTONE: Magglio Ordonez’s single in the fourth inning for the Detroit Tigers against the Minnesota Twins yesterday was the 2,000th hit of his career.

“It’s huge because there are only 260 players who have done it in more than 100 years of baseball,” Ordonez said after Detroit beat Minnesota 3-0. “I’m happy for me, my family, my country and my team.

“This means a lot to me after everything I went through last year.”

Ordonez’s wife had health problems last year, and he had a slump that sparked talk of the Tigers releasing him to prevent him from getting enough plate appearances to earn an $18 million bonus for this season.

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